Green Ghana Volunteers

Global Day for mental awareness

posted Oct 10, 2010, 8:59 AM by Ghana Medical Volunteers

Accra, Oct. 10, GNA - Sunday, October 10 marked the global day for
mental health awareness that brings attention to mental illness and its
effect on individual life, work, family and overall stability of
communities and countries.

The celebration being championed in Ghana by BasicRights, an
international non-governmental organisation is on the theme: "Mental
health and chronic physical illnesses: the need for continued and
integrated care."

A statement issued by Mr Badimak Peter Yaro of BasicRights Ghana at the
weekend and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said: "The day
promotes more open discussion of mental disorders and investments in
prevention and treatment services."

It said non-communicable/chronic/long-term diseases are now the leading cause of death worldwide.

"Today, there is an increased understanding of the relationship between
chronic physical illnesses such as cardiovascular, diabetes, cancer and
respiratory illnesses and mental illnesses. "These four chronic
physical illnesses, according to the World Health Organisation,
accounts for 60 per cent of the world's deaths. 80 per cent of the
deaths are happening in the poorest populations of the world.

"If nothing is done experts estimate that the world could witness
another 388 million people dying prematurely within the next 10 years.
"Also a person with these illnesses has much higher rate of depression
and anxiety than the general population," the statement said. It said
studies have shown that persons with severe or chronic physical illness
often have a co-existing mental health problem, while those with severe
mental illnesses or substance abuse have physical health problems that
remain undetected and untreated. "We (BasicNeeds) note that even though
mental health services are increasingly being recognised in Ghana as
critical, mental health still remain ignored, budgetary allocations to
mental health are low, mental health practitioners in the country
continue to render services in difficult environment as they do not get
the resources and support they deserve."

The statement said issues about stigma, access to treatment are all
human rights issues, adding that people with mental disorders in Ghana
are exposed to a wide range of human right violations. "The stigma they
face means they are often ostracised from society and fail to receive
the care they require.

"In certain circumstances people suffering from mental illness are
restrained with metal shackles, confined in caged beds, deprived of
clothing, decent bedding, clean water or proper toilet facilities and
are subject to abuse and neglect."

The statement said people with mental disorders face discrimination on
daily basis including in the fields of education, employment and
housing.

It advocated that government through the Ministry of Health should work
closely with mental health service users and family groups and other
stakeholders in unified efforts to raise awareness and work towards
changing public attitudes towards mental illness. "Mechanisms to
monitor human rights should be established to protect against inhuman
and degrading treatment, poor living conditions and inappropriate and
arbitrary involuntary admission and treatment. "There is also the need
to empower mental health service users and families. One of such groups
is the recently established Mental Health Society of Ghana.

"Government should put in place mental health policies, laws and
services that promote the rights of people with mental disorders,
empower them to make choices about their lives, provide them with legal
protection and ensure their full integration and participation into the
community." The statement called on the government to speed up the
passage of the mental health bill.